1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of recording image data, more particularly to a method of recording image data which corresponds to a desired region of an image shown on a computer monitor.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional computer system includes an image combining device for receiving and combining image frames outputted by a plurality of video sources, such as four to eight cameras, to generate composite image frames in an analog format, a video capture card connected to the image combining device for receiving the composite image frames and for transforming the composite image frames into a digital format to generate image frame data, a video buffer connected to the video capture card for storing the image frame data therein, and a computer monitor connected to the video buffer to access the image frame data and to show an image corresponding to the image frame data.
The drawback of the aforesaid conventional computer system is that a segment of the image frame data cannot be recorded as a single file corresponding to a selected region of the image shown on the computer monitor.
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a method of recording image data and a computer system capable of recording image data which can overcome the abovementioned drawback associated with the aforesaid prior art.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a method of recording image data comprises:
(a) storing image frame data in a video buffer that is accessed by a computer monitor, the computer monitor showing an image corresponding to the image frame data;
(b) selecting a region of the image shown on the computer monitor;
(c) retrieving from the video buffer a segment of the image frame data corresponding to the selected region of the image shown on the computer monitor; and
(d) storing the segment of the image frame data retrieved from the video buffer as a corresponding file in a data storage device.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a computer system includes a data storage device, a video buffer, a computer monitor connected to the video buffer, and a processing unit connected to the data storage device and the video buffer. The video buffer is adapted for storing image frame data therein. The computer monitor accesses the image frame data stored in the video buffer, and shows an image corresponding to the image frame data. The processing unit includes selecting means for selecting a region of the image shown on the computer monitor, retrieving means for retrieving from the video buffer a segment of the image frame data corresponding to the selected region of the image shown on the computer monitor, and recording means for storing the segment of the image frame data retrieved from the video buffer as a corresponding file in the data storage device.